


akira and ann aren't subtle

by alleured



Category: Persona 5
Genre: 5 + 1 Things, F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Getting Together, Love Confessions, M/M, ann is a good wingman, not between akira and ryuji tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:09:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28316529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alleured/pseuds/alleured
Summary: 5 (and a half) times Akira and Ryuji aren't dating, and 1 (and a half) times they are.
Relationships: Kurusu Akira & Takamaki Ann, Kurusu Akira/Sakamoto Ryuji
Comments: 2
Kudos: 45





	akira and ann aren't subtle

**Author's Note:**

> wrote this in 2 hours in a haze. not edited. i haven't even finished royal yet rip.
> 
> anyway they're dumb

**1.**

“You have feelings for Ryuji,”

It wasn’t phrased as a question. Ann was looking at him with an intensity that had Akira shivering underneath his coat.

“...And?” Was his response, looking anywhere but into her eyes. She was silent--probably not expecting him to outright  _ admit _ to his feelings--in a way that only drove more chills up his spine. Then, she  _ clapped _ .

“Okay! Want to make him realise he likes you too?” she was saying, hands still clasped within each other. When Akira looked up he could see a bright smile on her face, eyes closed in the way they do when Ann  _ schemed _ . “You know, he likes you too, he’s too dense to just  _ realise _ it,” she continued, opening her eyes and resting her hands, still clasped together, onto the table. “So we have to  _ make him realise it _ .”

Really, she was making sense. Yes, Akira was in love with Ryuji, but  _ gods _ , was he an idiot. It was very endearing to Akira.

“How  _ would we _ , though?”

Akira didn’t like--or  _ trust _ \--the smirk she gave.

“You and I will pretend to date, of course!” Like it was the most obvious plan in the world. Which--by the way--it  _ wasn’t _ . Because-- _ how _ would that work? How can she be so sure that they wouldn’t just be stuck in some weird not-relationship for  _ months _ because Ryuji can’t sort out his feelings? “Come  _ on _ , get out of your head! It’s not the  _ worst _ plan!”

Akira shook his head. It definitely was.

\--

**2.**

“Akira and I are dating!” Ann announces at the next Phantom Thieves meeting. The reactions are...well…

Futaba gives him a  _ look _ that says she tapped LeBlanc the night Ann suggested the Plan and knew  _ everything _ .

Makoto and Haru look at each other, obviously trying to piece it together. Akira can’t blame them. He’s been pretty obvious about his distaste of women throughout this whole thing but, well, it’s only  _ Ryuji _ they’re  _ really _ trying to fool, and it’s not like he’s  _ officially _ come out, so he supposes that it’s okay.

Yusuke...isn’t really paying attention. Wrapped in a sketchbook that, yeah, Akira can  _ agree _ is more interesting than this announcement.

_ Ryuji _ (and Morgana, similarly), is a  _ lot _ more vocal about the whole reveal. He’s shocked, but he’s  _ happy for them _ , because this is  _ Ryuji Sakamoto and there is not a single bad bone in his body. _

(Morgana cries out at Akira for being a filthy homewrecker that took his only love and--can Akira shove him even further into his bag? He’s going to try.)

Akira knows they’re screwed.

\--

**3.**

Akira’s hand feels  _ odd _ holding Ann’s.

They’re--the Phantom Thieves, because  _ this is an act _ \--sitting in a booth in LeBlanc, discussing their recent venture in the metaverse, and Akira had made the mistake of resting his hand on the table because Ann  _ grabbed it _ so fast that he didn’t have time to pull away. He saw Ryuji eyeing their linked fingers, an indistinguishable look written all over his face. Which--okay,  _ that _ was good. He was piecing it together.

So Akira squeezed Ann’s hand briefly, feeling her squeeze back.

He  _ really _ had to give it to her. She was a horrible actress on a good day, but she played the part of Akira’s girlfriend so  _ naturally _ that even  _ he _ \--homosexual as he  _ is _ \--sometimes forgot that it was all an act.

The rest of the meeting went over Akira’s head. All he could focus on was Ryuji’s unreadable expression. Really, he wanted Ryuji to  _ hurry up and realise _ so that he could tell him that he’s been in love with him pretty much since they met. Was that too much to ask?

After the meeting, when all except Ann, Morgana and Akira were leaving, Akira didn’t miss the small glance Ryuji shot back at his and Ann’s still-intertwined hands. It made his heart warm.

Though, the second Ann was sure that Ryuji was out of viewing distance, she ripped her hand from Akira’s grip so fast it made him dizzy. Dusting them off, she shot Akira a smile the he could only interpret as  _ please get out of the booth my job here is done _ .

…

Akira sent her home with the promise of unlimited sweets the next afternoon.

\--

**4.**

They’re not on a “date”. Akira was simply making good on his promise from the previous day.

Ann was overjoyed as she took bite after bite of her crêpe, simply letting Akira sit with her. Well, that was until Akira assumed she saw Ryuji, because then she was leaning over the table and offering him a bite with a wink.

And, well, what was Akira to do other than participate in her plot? ...And the crêpe looked damned good, too.

So, he took a bite, smiling at her before they both leaned back.

Akira never did catch Ryuji that day, but... he trusted Ann, so he’d just believe her.

\--

**5.**

The concept of a dance competition had them all fired up. So what if they wouldn’t remember this when they woke up? It was  _ fun _ .

But, on the note, of  _ not remembering when they woke up _ , Akira was having a hard time deciding on if he still  _ needed _ to hold Ann’s hand and pretend to whisper compliments into her ear when Ryuji was near.

“ _ What if something goes wrong and we  _ do _ remember, Akira? How will we explain then?” _ She’d reasoned. And, okay, Akira may be topping her in every subject but Ann is  _ smart _ and he would take her advice any day of the week.

So, he joins Ann for a partner dance, practices their moves together, and pretends not to notice the desperation in Ryuji’s voice when he asks if  _ they _ can dance together, at least once, before the night is over,

He does.

He’s never felt so happy in his life, and he won’t even  _ remember it _ .

\-- 

( **5.5**

Ryuji’s so convinced that Akira won’t remember a single thing that he holds him a little too close, leaves too-little space between them, and tries to keep him to himself as often as possible.

Because, shit, Ryuji was in love with Akira, who was  _ spoken for _ .

_ Akira and Ann were dating, and there was nothing Ryuji could do other than hold him a little closer than he should have. _ )

\--

**+1**

“You know that Ann and I aren’t really dating, right?”

Akira had had enough of this sick little game. Who  _ cares _ if Ryuji had realised his own feelings or not? At this point,  _ not Akira _ .

Ryuji wasn’t saying anything. Akira refused to look at him, so he couldn’t gauge his reaction  _ at all _ .

“I’m…” he decided to keep going, because he was already  _ this far into it _ , “I’m in love with  _ you _ , Ryuji.”

_ Now _ Akira looks at his best friend, and is met with the most brilliant gaze staring right back at him.

“ _ For real? _ ” Because this is Ryuji, and Akira wouldn’t have him any other way. “Me too, dude! I love you!”

Akira laughs, because everything is  _ good _ .

“So, you want to date?” Akira asks, because he  _ has to _ . “For real, I mean. Not that weird thing I did with Ann.”

Akira doesn’t get a verbal response, but he supposes that Ryuji leaping on him in a hug is answer enough.

\--

( **+1.5**

Akira calls Ann to tell her everything, and the cheer he gets is  _ deafening _ .

It’s followed, rudely, by a “ _ finally, I can ask Shiho out! _ ” as if it weren’t her idea, but the three of them are laughing by the end of it, so...Akira supposes it’s okay.

He’s dating Ryuji, and Ryuji loves him, so...maybe Ann’s idea wasn’t  _ the worst  _ after all.)


End file.
